IT News Blog

Monday, 30 January 2017

Starbucks has today initiated a limited beta for what it believes will be the future of coffee ordering.

Starting now, and limited to just 1000 users, Starbucks is launching a new beta program in which users can order their coffee and food stuffs using nothing but the power of their voice. The beta is currently an iOS-only affair, but support for those using Android devices is coming later this year.

The feature, dubbed My Starbucks barista, is built right into the Starbucks iOS app and allows for the ordering of coffee and other items in a chat-like interface. Users can type if they so wish, but voice input is undoubtedly the feature’s party piece and users can amend orders and check out without ever having to type a thing.

Starbucks has also announced a new Alexa Skill for Amazon’s Echo device. With the new skill users can order their whatever is designated “usual” food and drink order before leaving the house. Support for ordering off piste is not supported by the Skill, so be sure to configure your usual order just so before you place it.

“Our team is focused on making sure that Starbucks voice ordering within our app is truly personal and equally important was finding the right partner in Amazon to test and learn from this new capability. These initial releases are easy to use providing a direct benefit to customers within their daily routine and we are confident that this is the right next step in creating convenient moments to complement our more immersive formats. We expect to learn a lot from these experiences and to evolve them over time.”

Right now what Starbucks is trying to bring to users isn’t quite available as part of Siri, which is a shame. This is the kind of area where Siri needs to smarten up if it is to fulfil the potential that it has shown on and off for a number of years now. Perhaps the work done by Starbucks will push Apple to up its game in this regard.

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Apple has removed an online tool which could be used by potential buyers of used iPhones and iPads in order to ensure that they are not lost or stolen. The Activation Lock Status website was removed at some point over the last few days, with no official word from Apple as to why it was removed.

Before its demise, the Activation Lock Status tool allowed users to put an iPhone or iPad’s IMEI or serial number into the web site to ensure that it did not have an active activation lock applied.

If this was the case then the chances were high that the device had been lost or stolen, and buyers would know not to make a purchase based on that information. Without the tool, potential buyers of used iPhones and iPads have little chance of knowing that their purchase is legitimate before handing over their money.

The reason for the tool’s removal from the internet – attempts to visit the site return an error – is not immediately obvious. However, the reason may be related to a hack which allowed the use of an unlocked device’s serial number to be used in order to fool Apple’s own systems into allowing a previously locked device to be activated.

The hack simply required that an invalid serial number have a digit or two changed in order to discover a valid serial number. This was then used to unlock a previously locked device, allowing it to be registered as if nothing was wrong.

This may also explain what was previously thought to be a bug which saw some users inexplicably have their devices locked with unknown PINs and account credentials. Those situations required Apple’s input to correct. It’s possible that, if related, this may explain the tool’s removal.

Whatever the reason, we can only hope that a replacement system will arrive soon, allowing used device buyers to have the peace of mind they require when making such a purchase.

Yalu102 iOS 10.2 jailbreak has just been updated, with the new version adding support for iPad Air 2 and iPad mini 4.

With this latest beta 7 release of Luca Todesco’s yalu102 tool, the iOS 10.2 jailbreak now basically works on just about any 64-bit iOS device on the iOS 10.2 firmware except the latest iPhone 7 and iPhone 7 Plus models.

Beta 7 release follows hot on the heels of beta 2-beta 6 releases, all of which were released in quick succession only yesterday and added support for iPhone 6, iPhone 6 Plus, iPhone 5s and some other 64-bit iPad models after the initial version of the tool only supported iPhone 6s, 6s Plus, SE and iPad Pro.

Those with iPhone 7 and iPhone 7 Plus are advised to stay on iOS 10.1.1 as that is currently the only version of iOS which can be jailbroken on the said devices. Yalu102 will add support for iPhone 7 and iPhone 7 Plus, but like Mach_Portal+Yalu it will only work on iOS 10.1.1 as the exploits used in yalu102 iOS 10.2 jailbreak doesn’t work on Apple’s latest iPhone models.

With iOS 10.2.1 out now and Apple testing iOS 10.3 with both developers and testers, we highly recommend downgrading to iOS 10.2 while Apple is still signing the firmware and save SHSH2 blobs while you can so that you can downgrade to it in future even if Apple stops signing the firmware. You can learn more about it here: How To Permanently Preserve Your iOS 10.2 Jailbreak.

As always, stay tuned to us for all the latest from jailbreak world!

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Niantic Labs is in the process of rolling out Pokemon Go version 1.25.0 and 0.55.0 for iOS and Android respectively. As always, the company behind the popular game is continuously looking to push the title forward, gain additional traction with new and existing users, and generally just raise the standard of the game which is played by millions of users globally on a daily basis.

Any long-term Pokemon Go Trainer will already have an understanding about how Niantic Labs likes to issue updates to the app. Rather than wait for months on end and then release one huge update, the company appears to believe in a more continuous update procedure with frequent smaller improvements and additions.

This latest update to version 0.55.0 and 1.25.0 for Android and iOS respectively is another prime example of that. Rather than any sweeping improvements, changes or remodeling, this update is evolutionary once again.

With that in mind, Niantic has focused on improving the loading time and responsiveness of the game for those who access the title via an Android smartphone or tablet. The loading time of Pokemon Go has been significantly reduced on the Android platform, meaning Trainers will have access to their favorite game a lot quicker. Niantic has also focused attention on the Pokemon Go Plus accessory in order to resolve any connectivity issues which Android users may have been experiencing when trying to use that device.

Additionally, there’s also a little bit of love for iOS users as well, and more specifically, those with an Apple Watch. Niantic has taken the game to a new level from an accessibility perspective by integrating iOS wheelchair support Pokemon hunters who use the Apple Watch version of the game. And of course, as is always the case with any Pokemon Go update, there are the obligatory “minor text fixes” throughout the whole experience.

It’s also likely that this update contains miscellaneous bug fixes and otherwise unmentioned performance enhancements designed to offer a better experience across the board on all devices and platforms.

The updates for both platforms should be in the process of propagating through the relevant app stores right now, and will be showing up as an available update very soon, if not already. Enjoy those latest improvements Trainers!

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Apple has officially unveiled a new ‘One Night on iPhone 7’ campaign focused on promoting the power and low-light photo taking capabilities of iPhone and iPhone 7 Plus. Apple has enlisted the services of photographers from all over the globe to capture images shot exclusively on iPhone 7, designed to not only show the low-light capture capabilities of the stunning camera on Apple’s flagship, but to also show the beauty, diversity and varying wonders of the world that we live in.

To really make the most of the campaign, Apple utilized the services of mobile photographers all over the world to capture images using the low-light camera on iPhone 7 and iPhone 7 Plus on one single day last year; November 5, 2016.

Photographers from all over the globe managed to capture images of the beauty as seen from the rooftops of Shanghai, or the chaotic madness of Indonesian volcanoes, and pretty much almost everything in between. Some of those photographers took the role extremely seriously by braving hazardous conditions and extreme climates, all to allow Apple to launch the “One Night on iPhone 7” campaign in 25 different countries, starting today.

This isn’t just any ordinary campaign either featuring images shot on an iPhone 7 in local environments. Certain photographers involved in the campaign went entirely above and beyond by traveling to distant lands, and using additional equipment, such as a drone, to assist with capturing the perfect set of stunning images, as Apple explains:

Chicago-based photographer Reuben Wu ventured to Java, Indonesia to photograph the 130 active volcanoes, using an iPhone 7 attached to a drone to capture breathtaking views of Gunung Karang’s lava flow after dark. Ruairidh McGlynn traveled to Iceland to photograph the foreboding terrain of the Arctic, traveling overnight by dog sled.

This campaign doesn’t appear to be just about the capabilities of the device, but also about invoking an emotional response to the beauty of the world, and giving an opportunity for the rest of us to truly experience something that otherwise may not have been possible for many, at least visually.

Apple has used its official post on the One Night on iPhone 7 campaign site to once again reiterate that every day and night more photographs are captured on iPhone than on any other camera in the world. And it isn’t hard to see why when you experience imagery like this. You can head over to Apple’s site at source below to check out the complete set of photos.

You can now download watchOS 3.2 beta 1 for Apple Watch, which includes the original model, as well as Series 1 and Series 2 models. Here are the details.

Apple’s beta software, intended for download and installation by developers, often comes in droves, and this time is no different. After seeding initial beta seeds of tvOS 10.2, iOS 10.3, and macOS 10.12.4 last week, the Cupertino-based company has now officially issued the initial beta of watchOS 3.2, specifically for users registered on the Apple Developer Program.

As is generally the case, any new release of a major platform by Apple results in an exciting exploration of what’s actually been included, what is user-facing and what is actually abstracted away in terms of behind-the-scenes improvements and performance enhancements. Thankfully, watchOS 3.2 is slightly more than a very simple and mild point update, and has some inclusions that will definitely give developers a reason to put aside some time to investigate and explore.

One of the major inclusions with this beta of watchOS 3.2 is the introduction of the rather splendid and theatrical sounding Theater Mode.

Theater Mode actually might sound familiar, and that’s because it was rumored to make an appearance with the release of iOS 10.3, but didn’t materialize in the first beta, released recently. However, Apple has seen fit to implement this functionality into watchOS 3.2, meaning that Apple Watch owners can instantly tell the Watch that they are in a theater and have the hardware act accordingly to that situation.

On a very basal level, Theater Mode is designed to ensure that the Watch is sympathetic to surroundings when a wearer is in the theater. It achieves this by ensuring that sound is muted on the Watch, and that the screen doesn’t come to life when the wrist is raised. Notifications are still received, with haptics still in play, but they can view these by simply tapping on the display or pressing the Digital Crown.

watchOS 3.2 also brings with it SiriKit integration, which means developers can start building Siri into the app experiences, allowing things like a cab ride to be booked, food to be ordered, or payments to be made via the likes of PayPal, all directly through Siri on Apple Watch.

Apple has also taken the opportunity to bundle in bug fixes, performance enhancements, miscellaneous improvements and changes, such as extension of existing APIs over to watchOS, in order to push watchOS forward.

watchOS 3.2 beta 1 can be downloaded and installed to the Apple Watch by using the accompanying Watch app on iPhone and heading to the Software Update mechanism (General > Software Update). Of course, this requires you to be an enrolled and registered member of the Apple Developer Program as mentioned earlier with a configuration profile installed on iPhone for watchOS.

U.K. carrier Three has pushed out a new carrier update which enables Wi-Fi Calling for users on its network. The updated carrier settings have the version number 27.1, and should be winging their way to iPhones with Three SIMs in them right now.

Whilst Wi-Fi Calling on Three is nothing new, the implementation post-carrier update does alter the way the technology works. Previously, users of Three’s network had to use the free Three inTouch app in order to make calls over Wi-Fi connections. With this new carrier update that limitation has been removed, with Wi-Fi Calling now supported on the Three network at an iOS system level.

We know that sometimes you can’t get signal when you’re indoors, but that shouldn’t mean that you have to go off the grid. With Three inTouch Wi-Fi Calling, you can call and text whenever you’re on Wi-Fi in the UK, even if there’s no mobile signal.

Users of Three can enable Wi-Fi Calling by heading over to the Settings.app, followed by Phone > Wi-Fi Calling but an update to carrier settings version 27.1 is required, and should be easily achievable by syncing your iPhone to iTunes. For a step-by-step guide on enabling Wi-Fi Calling on your iPhone, check out our post: How To Enable WiFi Calling On iPhone.

Both Vodafone and EE already support Wi-Fi Calling on iPhones in this manner, with Three now also joining the pair of cellular big hitters. Wi-Fi Calling is fast becoming a must-have for carriers, with those in the U.K. keen to ensure feature parity in an increasingly competitive market.

Use of Wi-Fi Calling is popular in areas where cellular reception is less than ideal, particularly in older buildings where the walls are particularly thick, interfering with cellular signals. Being able to use a Wi-Fi network instead of relying on a carrier’s cellular network can be the difference between being able to make a call and not, making it an important value addition for those carriers which support it.